Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Book Update!

I have been informed that the books just hit the warehouse yesterday! I have placed my order and they will be shipped to me here "SOON". I asked for delivery before Oct 1st because I am leaving on the 2nd for Pennsylvania!

Here is where I am a bit worried...how to ship all the books to you when I am out of town on the road!

If the people I am staying with have computer and printer, I should be able to process the books just fine if I carry along my "mobile office" with me....mailing envelopes, packing tape,etc, and just drop ship to you from wherever I'm at. I can work on filling the orders in the evenings when I am not teaching a class or giving a trunkshow or lecture!

I don't know how else to get these to you in a timely manner. Believe me, there is no way my family is wanting to help with this :c( It's my baby. Still I'll do the best I can!

If I am flying somewhere, the book shipping may have to wait until I get back home. I'm thinking about my trip to Wisconsin and Illinois. Tho, I suppose if I have books shipped up there I could do the same mobile post office thing while I'm on the road? I don't know how other authors do this and travel and teach at the same time?

10 comments:

you might want to pre-package the books for mailing -- you should be able to even have the right postage pre-printed at the post office. That way you don't have much to do when an order arrives -- simply pull and envelope from the pile stick the invoice in with the book and seal it up... It'd mean a speedy send out when you got home from a trip, and save you hauling so much stuff....

Having said that, I am sure your fans can wait a few days for you to be able to be home (or nearby home) to get a book mailed. The big warehouse etailers have delays of a few days between order date and ship date. If a customer has a time sensitive request they could state that in the "comments" section of the order.

Like Kelli said, I am sure someone can wait, and if not, well, tough-o rough-o. One idea: leave pre-packaged books at home, just needing postage and addressing. Print postage at USPS.com using a credit card and the known postage amount ($1.98, etc.) and the address so all you travel with is printed paper. Slap those puppies on when you get home, then go back to Usps.com and schedule a pick up AT YOUR HOUSE!! (SO nice!) The postman/postwoman will pick up from your front porch the next mail day. I've done it, it's easy as pie! Email me if you have questions about this. --Colleen